Check marking device



Jan. 9, 1940. v R. l. HELLER CHECK MARKING DEVICE Filed oct. 5, 193s Patented Jan. 9, 1940 UNITED STATE 2,186,336 CHECK MARKING DEVICE Richard I. Heller, Los" Angeles, C'alif. Appncatinn october 5, 193s, serial Naesasvs l 5v Claims.

This invention relates to improvementsv yin check marking devices, and it has for its object to improve the construction and operation thereof and particularly to Yprovide an improved port-` 5.- able check marking device of the type or class shown and described in my co-pending application, Serial No. 144,322, filed May 21,A 1937.

To these ends I have provided certain improvements in check marking devices as set forth in 10; theriollowing description, theseveral novel fea'- tures of the invention being separately pointed out and dened in the claims at the close thereof In the accompanying drawing: y

Figure 1 is a top plan View, full size, of my 1I5 improved check marking device.

Figure 2 is an enlarged side elevation of the device shown inFig. 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged section'on 4line 3 3 of Fig. 1.

i Figure 4 is an enlarged side elevation showing the device in its open condition.

Figure 5 is an enlarged section on line 5--5 of Fig. 2. y n

Figure 6 is an enlarged end view of the device.`

$6.- Figures '7 and 8 are enlarged sectional details on line 1 -l of Fig. 2 showing the marking mechanism in diierent positions.

The embodiment of my invention herein illustrated is a check marking device which is 802'. manually .operable to impress protective markings upon bank checks, said device comprising a frame including a base I0 which may,` if desired, be made with apertures II, Fig. 1, forv the reception of screws I2, Fig. 3, by means of which it may bey fastened to the ap I3 of a check book, lor to any -other thing with which it may be associated as an attachment.

f At the opposite sides thereof thebase plate lll is made with perpendicular side walls or ears 40g@ I4, one at each side of said base. Between these walls or ears is a carrier, indicated generally at I5, for a plurality of independently rotatable toothed marking vwheels I6. Y

The carrier I5 comprises a 'transversely dis- Alll posed bar I'I provided at its opposite ends with.

radial arms I8 pivotally and slidably connected by pintles I9 to the side walls or ears I4 of base in a direction that approximately perpendicu-r lar to the direction of the movement of `cross-bar l1 when the carrier is swung lup andvdown on" pintles I9. The purpose of this will appear later.

As herein shown the carrier framev or body, 55.' which includes cross-bar Il and arms I8, is made from one piece of sheet metal and the cross-bar is formed approximately semi-cylindrical so as to inclose and cover the toothed marking wheels "I6 thus affording protection ytov thejhands of the 10i -user and avoiding interference with the :free operation of wheels I6 while marking a'check.` ,y i

' Adjacent to the opposite ends of cross-bary Il,

and alined with the axis of the semi-cylindrical bar II, the arms I8 areriormed with apertures 1521 2| which are permanently occupied yby the reduced Vouter end portions of two spring pressed bolts 22 which are slidably mounted within *a tube 23 disposed between arms I8` whose opposite Vends abut the inner 'Sides of said armsls and 2.9-,

lowermo'st position shownfinxFig. 31 it willbe 3.0i, n

clear that it may be shifted horizontallyr rela"` tively to the main' frame Ill-I4 to'anr extent limited by the engagement of the opposite ends'y oislots 2li with pintles I9, as will be lclear from Figs. 7 and 8.

vWhen the carrier frame I'I-Ill` occupies its4 closedv position andis at the limit of its movement toward the right-Fig. 3, the outer reduced ends or trunnions of the bolts 22 occupy sockets provided inthe side walls or'ears Ill of the main-v frame thereby to positively lock the carrier frame in itsy lower closed position, as will be clear from I Fig. rI. One of these sockets isshown at 25 in Figs. 4, 5, 'lI and 8 and said socketsmay, as shown,v

be in the -form of circular holes formed throughi 45;` f

the side walls I4;l y I Between' each pintle I9 and its lcomplementalv l socket hole 25, and immediately adjacent to theV latter, the inner side of the side wall Ill` is'made with a cam incline 26, Figs. 4, 7 and'.- leading 50 away from the hole which is eifective-to shiftk the bolt 22 from its projectedl carrier-locking position shown in Fig. '7, into the retracted inoperative position shown in Fig. 8. Thus while the carrierframe I'l-I`8 occupies itsclosed position farthest away from pintles I9, said frame is positively locked against upward displacement but when shoved rearwardly toward pintles I9 it is unlocked and free to be swung upwardly into the position shown in Fig. 4.

As the carrier frame II-I is swung upwardly toward the position shown in Fig. 4 the outer ends of the spring-pressed bolts 22 pass above the tops of the side walls or wings I4 and are again projected by their spring 24 so that it becomes necessary that they be again retracted in order to permit return of the carrier frame to its lowermost position again. In order automatically to retract the bolts 22 as the carrier frame is swung downwardly I form the inner sides of the upper portions of the side walls or ears I4 with cam surfaces or inclines 21, Fig. 5, against which the outer ends of bolts 22 strike as the carrier frame is lowered and by which the bolts are retracted until they register with and snap into the sockets 25.

Directly beneath or opposite the bank of marking wheels I6 the base plate IIJ of the main frame is slitted at right angles with respect to the axis of tube 23 to provide a transverse series or row of rails alternate ones of which are bowed downwardly and form parts of a transverse groove 28 formed in the top side of base plate I0, and the others, 29 of which are horizontally straightand bridge or span the groove 2B.

The elevated rails 29 are relatively spaced apart as shown to provide slots between them whereof some are occupied by the marking wheels I6. Thus the rails 29 support the check so that the latter will be punctured by the teeth of the wheels.

Upon the approach side of the wheels I6 and immediately adjoining the groove 28 is a transverse vrib 30 which not only stiifens the base plate Ii! but also bends a portion of the check C upwardly toward the marking wheels as the opposite end portion of the check is manually pulled upon in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 3, to draw said check through the device.

'I'he groove 28 and rib 30 are less in length than the distance between side walls I4 so that the portion of base plate II! immediately adjacent said sidewalls is horizontal and iiat.

The marking wheels I6 are disposed on tube 23 in two groups, one to operate upon one line of the check and the other to operate upon another line thereof. These two groups are separated by a short ferrule 3l loosely mounted upon tube 23 while longer ferrules 32 loosely mounted upon the opposite end portions of tube 23 hold the two groups of wheels and ferrule 3l against axial'displacement on said tube.

To use the above described marking device the wheel carrier I'I-I is raised into its elevated or open position shown in Fig. 4 to permit insertion of one end of the check C into the device. Then the carrier I'F-I8 is swung down into its lowermost position where it is automatically locked and held by the bolts 22 while the check is pulled forward by hand. As the check is pulled forward the wheels I6 are rotated and produce lines of protective perforations in the same. Usually the check is not pulled all of the way through the device and when such is the case and the lines of perforations have progressed the desired distance the check is released. This is accomplished by sliding the carrier I'I--I rearwardly on the main frame toward pintles I9 which causes the cams 26 to retract bolts 22 so that the carrier can be raised into the position shown in Fig. 4.

What claim is:

l. A marking mechanism of the character described, comprising a main frame including a base made with a series of check-supporting rails which are relatively spaced apart to provide slots between them; a carrier frame including a transversely disposed intermediate portion provided at its opposite ends with arms pivotally connected with said main frame adjacent to the opposite sides of said base so as to provide for up and down swinging movement of said carrier frame and also for lateral sliding movement thereof to a limited extent in a direction lengthwise of said slots; marking devices disposed above said base and rotatably supported by said carrier frame, said devices penetrating the check and projecting into said slots when said carrier frame occupies its lowermost position; means for locking said carrier frame in its lowermost position when it is shifted into check-marking position, and means for unlocking said carrier frame when it is slid laterally away from check-marking position. i

2. A marking mechanism of the character described, comprising a main frame including a base made with a series of check-supporting rails which are relatively spaced apart to provide slots between them; a carrier frame including a transversely disposed intermediate portion provided at its opposite ends with arms pivotally connected with said main frameadjacent to the opposite sides of said base so as to provide for up and down swinging movement of said carrier frame and also for lateral sliding movement thereof to a limited extent in a direction lengthwise of said slots; marking devices disposed above said base and rotatably supported by said carrier frame, said devices penetrating the check and projecting into said slots when said carrier frame occupies its lowermost position; means for locking said carrier frame to said main framewhen it is swung downwardly into check-marking position, and means for unlocking said carrier frame when it is slid laterally away from check-marking position.

3. A marking mechanism of the'character described, comprising a main frame including a base made-with a` series of check-supporting rails which are relatively spaced apart to provide slots between them; a carrier frame including a transversely disposed intermediate portion provided at its opposite ends with arms pivotally connected with said main frame adjacent to the opposite sides of said base so as to provide .for up and down swinging movement of said carrier frame and also for lateral sliding movement thereof to a limited extent in a direction lengthwise of said slots; marking devices disposed above said base and `rotatably supported by said carrier frame, said devices penetrating the check and projecting into said slots when said carrier frame occupies its lowermost position; and latch mechanism for holding said carrier frame against upward movement when said frame is swung downwardly into check-marking position, said mechanism being manually operable to free said carrier frame for movement in the opposite direction. A

4. A marking mechanism of the character described, comprising a main frame including a base made with a series of check-supporting rails which are relatively spaced apart to provide slots between them; a carrier frame including'a transversely disposed intermediate portion provided at its opposite ends with arms'pivotally connected with saidk main frame adjacentto the oppositesides of said base so as to provide for up and down swinging movement of said carrier frame and also for lateral sliding movement thereof to a limited extent in a direction lengthwise of 'said slots; marking devices disposed above said base and rotatablysupported by said car-A rier frame, said devices penetrating the check andprojecting linto said slots when said -carrier frame occupies its lowermost position; and latch mechanism for holding said'V 4carrier frame against upward movement when said frame is swung downwardly into check-marking position, said mechanism being operated by lateral sliding movement of said carrier frame in one direction to vfree said frame vfor swinging movement thereof in the opposite direction.

5. A marking mechanism of thecharacter de-y scribed constructed in accordance with claim 4 wherein said arms are made near their free ends with apertures; wherein said transversely disposed intermediater portion includes a tubular member whose opposite ends are aligned with the apertures of saidarms; whereinsaid latch mechanism includes shouldered bolts slidably mounted within the opposite ends of said tubular mem'- ber whose outer end portions slidably occupy the apertures of said arms, a spring within said tubular member disposed between the innerends of said shouldered'bolts and yieldingly urging the latter outwardly so that their shoulders normally engage the inner sides of said arms to limit the outward movements of said bolts, sockets on said main frame with which they outer ends of said bolts co-act to hold said carrier frame in checkmarking position, said sockets being each made at one side thereof with a cani surface for retracting its bolt when said carrier frame is slid laterally in one direction thereby to free said frame for swinging movement thereof in the opposite direction, and wherein said marking devices consist of marking wheels rotatably supported by said tubularmember." 4

RICHARD I. HELLER. 

